Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for January 17, 2020

Since fifth grade?! Did she not approve of sex education then now thinks it’s time?

The talk – did Gunther miss it?

I am sure you are protecting yourselves, but you may not be aware of what you should be protecting.

Refreshment conversation or rumor mill ? A coincidence?

I don’t know how this can get more awkward.

My sentiments exactly gun. But this explains so much as to why Gunther is the way he is regarding intimacy. Irma wants to keep him this sweet innocent little boy. Why else would she keep and just NOW hand him an educational pamphlet that dumb down sex to a childs level? I wouldn’t be the lest bit surprised if she used the word “pollywog.”

Judging by his age and comic strip time, she saved it since the late ’60s/early ’70s?

You mean to tell me you didnt think about having this talk when you allowed him to go to Peru with a hot young woman named Rosa?

Wow. Now contrast THIS, with the time Irma practically shoved Gunther out the door to Peru to be with his old girlfriend Rosa, with hardly a ”by your leave.” No “warnings,” no pamphlets, no nothing. Just a “Bye Gunthie!”

And looks like maybe Irma HAS met Bets after all, since she “really likes her.”

And if “she really likes her” that must mean that Irma is not a bigot, as SOME “folks” have theorized.

I wonder what Al thinks?

Oh silly Me. It involves Gunther. Therefore Al doesn’t CARE.

But GOOD news, Gun.

Irma has just given her blessing for you and Bets to have all the sex you want. As LONG as you’re ”protectEd.”

As I always say HILARTY ENSUES! Of course there is Saturday.

I think Gunther just finally figured out what’s going on.

@Triology Told ya. He’s regretting he asked…I think you were thinking Irma would only say she heard rumors about him and Bets which would give him the heads up that they are gossiping about him. That was not what I thought would happen – I am a mom and I knew THIS is gonna happen. Irma came to talk about the birds and bees.

As for you who said his first time was with Rosa. There was no indication of them doing it beyond your assumptions and imaginations – mostly based on that Gunther went to Peru with her therefore they must be doing it. Not necessarily. Rosa implied he was not man enough to branch out, get off his mom’s apron strings and go for an adventure. That got him jacked up and he wanted to prove Rosa wrong. But in the end Rosa was 100% right about him. He was not ready to leave home and going to Peru was a mistake. So he came home and yes partly because Irma started dating Mr Gray and Gunther suddenly had competition for his mom’s attention and affection.

Rosa was back in high school. Bets is an older female and more worldly. Both of them are in college so it is safer at this time to assume they are doing it. But that’s all it is – our assumption and imagination. This is a G-rated strip so there won’t be any explicit indication to offend the parents and their innocent little ones – but if they are reading here in the forums, that’s where the real PG-13 stuff is.

Where did Irma come from? Dog Patch?

I went to Catholic School in the ’60’s. The boys, separate high school for girls and boys had sex ed in the 10th grade.

Well, what is that?

Ha! Gunther’s spent his whole life not knowing what that is? He’s going to be bewildered if he ever sees a woman’s that!

In sixth grade (back in 1968), I remember one of the female teachers taking the girls into one classroom, and one of the male teachers taking the boys into another classroom for sex education. They showed diagrams, filmstrips, and a few movies on the projector that were prepared by the school system. Some sat there for the duration of the classes and still had absolutely no idea of what was going on.

THAT IS A TOE….

Moms…More precious than gold or diamond.

Gunther lived with Rosa in South America. So why is Luann etc all ‘confused’ about his relationship with Bets?

“What’s that?”

.

“Gunthie, It is for poking fun at someone.”

.

“Mommm!!!”

Does anyone else think its freaking CREEPY that she would have kept that pamphlet since he was in 5th grade?? Yikes!

Their relationship always was a bit on the bizarre side. Here’s proof!

So finally I have figured out Irma. The way to constant cheerfulness is to never know what anybody else is thinking…

Closing the barn door after the horse has bolted, had a long life and buried.

We probably won’t get to see the first time Bets brings up sex to Gunther. That would be way more interesting…

Awww, gee mom, you really shouldn’t have. I mean you ‘really’ shouldn’t have.

Irma, a few years back, Gunther traveled alone to South America with a girlfriend….alone to another country WITH A GIRLFRIEND!!! Yet this is the time your spidey-sense goes off that your son could be sexually active because of heresy?! But yeah, sure….I guess now’s the time to give your 20 year old son ‘the talk’ now and pile on this humiliation by giving him a 10 year old sex education pamphlet that’s meant for pre-teens….Good call, mom.

Naivety/naivete – Berger/Burger Family Tradition

5th grade to College Sophomore, 9 years. That was a LOT of Luann comic years ago

Wait… I never got that pamphlet! No wonder I’m still confused! ¯\("-)/¯

That pamphlet is hilarious. I’m female and have daughters so I don’t know what talk the boys get in 5th grade at school. Little boys are aware of their penises when they are babies and they get erections when they are 2 or 3 (I’ve heard), so what is the boy in the pamphlet discovering?

Irma is not going to bring up the rumor she heard or how she heard it. There is no reason to. Luann and anyone else is safe. Irma knows Gunther and Bets are spending time together so them having sex is a normal assumption for Irma to have.

Irma could sense how uncomfortable Gunther was about his body when he went to Peru with Rosa. She knew nothing would happen with Rosa. Now she can sense that he is more comfortable around Bets and something may happen.

She probably made Big Al read the pamphlet on their wedding night.

I guess he went to a progressive school. But imagine what a dork he was in those days. When we first met him, in middle school, he was such a dork he probably put his pants on backwards.

Looks like Irma (unintentionally?) is performing one of a parents stereotypical “duties”. To humiliate your kids.

Methinks Gunth already knew about the birds and the bees a long time ago. No need to explain to him.

Irma to the rescue?! Kinda…. not exactly.., maybe. Her intentions are good. Well, maybe a clarification between mother and son on this topic would be a good thing, especially since Irma could (and i repeat, could) start to stop treating her son like a child once and for all.

Ok, the cover of the book made me actually guffaw.

Momporn!

All we know for sure is that Irma knows what That is!

Momma says fine! But what does Bets say!?!? Just sayin’!

How much more awkward would this conversation be if Gun mentioned he had previously been intimate with Tiffany?

Many years ago, when a friend of mine was 17 his mother said “we should talk about sex.” he responded “sure mom what would you like to know?” that ended the conversation.

Good gravy! 1- How was she able to lay hands on that pamphlet so quickly after all those years? 2- how did it not get purged after all those years or in the move to Al’s? Coincidentally, that was pretty much the extent of any talk from my mom too. I think in 4th or 5th grade at home one day she handed me a pamphlet and said here I think you should read this! The rest of my info came from school classes.

Protecting yourself? It must be a pamphlet about the 2nd amendment, right?

So Irma has met Bets (she likes her) and can see all their visits (by just looking out the window) so why assume she has heard the Luann/Tiff gossip. Maybe she can see Gunny is acting a bit different and is just listening to her mom radar alert?

A “pee pee pamphlet!” ;o}

speaking to your “adult” children about s-e-x is hard, folks! heck, speaking to your younger kids or grandchildren about the relevant details can be pretty awkward too, in our US society especially! be kind: everyone is different & humans are curious, not wanting to look or sound weird, just trying to figure things out

Again with the “Gunthie”. As with the pamphet, she’s treating him like he’s a child.

Now that is funny.

Looks like I called it: we won’t actually find out if Gunther is getting busy or not (in other words, we don’t get any new information) and Luann faces no consequences for her snooping. At this point I doubt Tiffany’s gossiping will come back to bite her either. Someone could’ve skipped the storyarc entirely and not really miss anything of substance (except maybe learning that Luann is a crappy friend).

The funny/annoying thing is, that pamphlet isn’t even about “protection” and the like. Its a very thin booklet that has a boy looking down and saying “Whats this” clearly referring to an early sign of puberty in males. So judging by the cover, the booklet is probably a very basic explanation of puberty and or “doing it” And it’s too thin to have a lot of info so the chances of it actually discussing protection is low especially considering this was intended for 5-graders. So that means Irma just handed her 21-yr old son, whom she had been ENCOURAGING to move to another continent with his former gf, a pamphlet on puberty. Just let that sink in for a minute.

This may be the opportune moment for us to learn what Gun’s really had going on for some time. Will he blurt out what we have suspected about Rosa and/or Tiff? It would be much like the Evans to drop that bombshell tomorrow, then move on to a different arc after the Sunday non-sequitur.

Just because Irma may “really like” Bets doesn’t mean that she would lack reservations bout a mixed-race grandchild. Her words have been quite crafted, IMHO.

On Sale Tomorrow !!! The " WHAT’S THAT? " T-shirt. Pre-order yours today!

Wow…when Brad and Toni got romantic and married, whether or not they actually “did it” before they got married was deliberately kept vague, to keep from annoying more conservative readers. But they dropped hints, to titillate more liberal readers.

Personally, I thought the two of them were “getting it on” before they got married, but I suspect that Brad was NOT Toni’s first lover, but Toni was definitely Brad’s first. But I’m sure she taught him to “rise to the occasion.”

I think this plotline is going to be even more interesting, in some ways, than Brad and Toni.

Notice that the differing melanin content of the pair is NOT an issue. Just out of curiosity, though, and because I like characters, I’d like to meet Bets’s family.

Also, Gunther’s mother is having trouble realizing that her son isn’t in the 5th grade any more. A lot of parents seem to think that way.

The pamphlet cover is hilarious.

Nice to know she never worried about Gunther ever being intimate while he was in HS. LOL

When I google “What’s that” pamphlet, I get a war department pamphlet in Google books – page 23 of the goofiest play I’ve ever read.

I never realized this strip is set in Alabama.

Oy vey. Just like parents to get their noses into relationships that don’t concern them.

Gunther is ready to say, “Mom, I can learn all about this from Mr. Grey.” She thinks he is referring to Big Al…..

Considering all the sexy times she’s alluded to after marrying Mr Gray, I’m surprised she’s so shy about discussing sex with her son.

The gossip may wreck Gunther and Bet’s relationship.

The really insulting thing for Gunther is that he’s an adult and everyone assumes he’s a virgin.

Will we find out which grapevine she heard? How will Gunther feel when he discovers his friends have been spreading rumors? Or Bets for that matter. Thrilled or not with the attention?

Poor Irma! She’s trying to create a dialogue but this is just AWFUL.

PREDICTION: ROSA is going to be back within a week or two; perhaps just before Gunther and Betts are thinking about consumating their relationship.

Hahahahaha, that kid looking down at his little guy is priceless! What’s THAT!!!!!

“Mom, I want to say this in the kindest way possible: *#@$ off!”

“What’s that.”

While changing diapers, wife’s niece said, “He’s already got his boy stuff!”

Wife said, “Of course. He was born with it.”

""You mean I won’t ever have boy stuff?"

She broke it to her father, “Daddy, I’m never going to be a boy.”

“Oh….Kay…” (He didn’t know she didn’t know.)

Awww. So cute and American. I had to give the “Speech” to my grandson when he was just over 8 years. I found him in shower admiring his erect.. pointer. Then I had to explain what and why.

It was a bit kinda embarrassing but I couldn’t show it to him.

Didn’t Gunther and Rosa live together in Peru for several months? I liked the beard better. He came back with that.

Oh my God. Looks like ol’ Gunther is about to get “The Talk”. I’m betting he’s wishing there’s a flight to Peru right about now..

My 3 year old son asked where babies come from. Casting about for an age appropriate answer caused a bit of silence. Finally he said “Tell me that or about the Three Little Pigs.” Then I said “Once upon a time there were three little pigs,…”

Bets will be looking on her Facebook page one day and say to “Gun,” “Who’s Rosa.”

I remember having THAT when the only thing I knew about it was that it made it difficult to pee.

The other day someone said that Irma would be better at giving “the talk” to Gunth than Nancy did with Luann.

Guess you were wrong about that. Irma doesn’t do “the talk.” Irma does……..the “Fifth Grade Pamphlet!!” (LOL!)

Now all poor Gunth needs is for Les to walk in and see mommy Irma giving her little Gunthie a sex-ed book dumbed down to what? a nine year old level?

Yeah, if that didn’t drive Gunth into homicidal mania, I don’t know what would.

Great cover for a sex ed pamphlet. It’s like, whoa! Whatta we got down there….

Tomorrow, Irma drops the term, “Ding a ling”, then plays a song by Chuck Berry of the same title.

Rumors are quite damaging. Veggietales even made a video about it.

And subtitled “…And why does it make me want to do ‘weird’ stuff?”…

OMG that’s funny!

IMO Bets is going to first blame Gunther for spreading lies and then leave, fast

Funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was right.

Oh, mannnnn….Can you say “Jumped the Shark?”

I got sex education in the 7th grade (heavier weight on puberty and biology,) and again in the 9th grade (with more weight put on safe sex.) BTW this was in 2 different schools, middle school and high school are 2 different things around here. Both were pretty explicit and informative to teenage me and I find myself surprised as an adult how few kids actually get any kind of sex ed.

If Gunther thinks this is bad, wait until she pulls out the dusty VHS tape of "Fuzzy Bunny’s Guide to ‘You Know What’ "

I guess I’m reading a different ‘toon than most of the posters here. First of all, Irma said nothing at all to Gunther about ’rumors’ , so how would Gunther (and later, Bets) know that Irma heard a rumor (started by Luann, Tiffany, Les or anyone?) if Irma said nothing about it? Secondly, it’s entirely possible that Al Gray/Grey saw Bets’ posts of her kissling Gunther online and showed it to Irma. And third point, Bets has posted a lot about her private life online, including that very passionate kiss. How do the posters here know that Bets would be offended by Irma concluding that Bets and Gunther were having sex, considering how little interest Bets seems to have in keeping her private life private?

Wow. Just wow.

Just when you thought the arc couldn’t get any worse…

This week has been the total denigration and degradation of all the legacy characters – Luann, Tiffany, and especially Gunther.

I can’t take this anymore! This is driving me sane! – Spike Jones

Mom is really tuned in to the Gossip Mill.

But, things aren’t going to get really Embarrassing until Bets finds out about the rumors.

As if no one ever noticed “That” until 5th grade?

His mom is sweet, but she knows so little about her not so small son.

Gunther should think twice before telling Bets about this. My guess is she not only knows what it is but how to use it.

Better question: where is Dad ?, Mom.

If you are in the 5th grade and noticing it for the first time you are beyond help.

If Gunther tells his mom that he is not having sex then Irma will blurt out the rumor she heard. That would be the only way Irma would tell him what she heard.

It’s never too late to review the Basics, Gunthie. Momma know best!

Is Gunther’s mom intellectually disabled? Gunther is a 19 or 20 grown man for God’s sake!

LOLLLL…Whats that?..lollol

The “what’s that?” would look hilarious on a t-shirt